Redskins LT Trent Williams: ‘it’s one of the demons we’ve got to overcome’

The Washington Redskins made enough plays to record a ‘W’ when they beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-17 in their third preseason game at FedEx Field yesterday. Unfortunately, once again, the offensive starters had to overcome another slow-start to get the victory.

Washington received the ball to start the contest but quarterback Kirk Cousins and the rest of his unit had two three-and-outs before they managed a field goal after the defense gifted them a fumble recovery on the Bengals 31-yard line.

Granted, the team was starting a rookie center (Chase Roullier) but throughout the first quarter, the pass protection was not good and running back Rob Kelley could not find any holes.

After an unwise decision by Cousins resulted in an interception by Bengals linebacker Vonteze Burfict, Washington got the ball back and finally started to rock and roll.

With just over 11 minutes into the second quarter, the starting offense took the field and, on the first play of the series, the O-line morphed into a cohesive unit that opened up a hole big enough for Kelley to burst through for a 21-yard gain. After that, Washington looked like a balanced, humming offense. Kelley churned out five, six and then five more yards per play in between completed passes to tight end Vernon Davis and wideouts Terrelle Pryor and Jamison Crowder.

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After moving the offense down the field 74 yards, Cousins handed the ball off to “Fat Rob” (whose nickname no longer fits him) on the one-yards line. The running back busted through the line for a one-yard touchdown and the team celebrated their first running touchdown of the preseason. In the end, Kelley averaged over five yards per carry.

Despite the slow starts and stumbles this preseason, the Redskins will more-than-likely have a prolific offense in 2017. Pryor and Cousins still have some work to do and second-year receiver Josh Doctson needs to actually get onto the game field. But Kelley is a good running back and rookie Samaje Perine has shown immense potential that should only develop as he gets more and more reps. Veteran Chris Thompson will keep doing what he has done since coming to Washington: produce.

But even with an offense that successfully moves the ball, it won’t matter if the team can’t get this done earlier than they have been doing this preseason and, several times in 2016. It doesn’t matter how well the ball is getting into the end zone if it’s so late in the game that an offense can’t overcome the amount of points the opposition has already put up.

Coach Jay Gruden joked last night that perhaps the team should opt for a different pre-game meal to handle the slow starts. Running back Chris Thompson attributed the slow start against the Bengals as nothing more than a lack of execution and feels that the talent and motivation are there for this to be resolved. The players and coaches know starting slow will not win football games.

“Every time it’s something different,” Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams said after the game. “You know, we’ve just got to go back and look at the film and try to correct it. Obviously, nobody wants a slow start. I mean, it sucks but you know, it’s one of the demons we’ve got to overcome and it’s been haunting us for a little bit but we’ll work through it. We’re professionals.”

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